My fervent wish is that Hoosier/USA Hockey/‘69 Mets/Down 3-0 Red Sox magic envelopes Wilcox and this team this year to confound everyone and deliver unbelievable-but-true success beyond dreams this season. That’s my wish every year. In psychology they call it Magical Thinking. Which is allowed.
Every year seems like a complete reset. This year even more so. Nonetheless, I love our Bears and will cheer for whomsoever dons the Blue and Gold to Write, er Fight for California!
Agree with this. No disrespect to players that have decided to stay, feels like Cal will be a completely different team this year. I am actually pretty optimistic about our offense and somewhat worried about our defense.
I feel like the prognostications are fair. I know it's a weak schedule and the new staff could be a difference maker, but I'm not sold on this year's talent like I was last year. That's not to say they won't ball out, but it's just a huge mystery now.
Last year absolutely crushed me. We were absolutely stacked to the gills (when healthy). Hard to ever be confident in this team again after seeing that collection of talent go 6-6
Last season we had a horrible O line. You can have the best RB and QB available but without a good or even average O line, you'll suck big time. This years O line seems much better than last years.
Cal got multiple talented O line players in the portal. Cal's new O line coach helped turn perennial mediocre-to-bad New Mexico into a running powerhouse. It will make a difference this year. An easier schedule can only be helpful.
It is so hard to predict the outcome of this season with so much turnover of both the staff and personnel. Whenever you are starting new QBs, that's always a question mark.
My heart wants to believe. My brain just struggles to get on board. I keep going back to those games we SHOULD have won - FSU, Pitt, NC State and arguably Miami. All it would have taken was an average kicker to seal the deal. How difficult this off-season would have been... I still hold Wilcox accountable for the Special Teams failures since he wished and hoped it would work out. Without a solid plan or leader. Here's hoping we don't "Cal" it too many times THIS season.
I'm having trouble getting excited about a ninth season with Justin "The Mediocre" at the helm The schedule may be soft but it's also bereft of traditional foes, OSU and Furd the exceptions. This further tempers the excitement as does the departures of Mendoza, Endries, Jet and Ott. One gets used to familiar faces and there's enough player turnover via graduation. Nonetheless you can find me at Memorial Stadium on September 6th letting forth with a throaty, "Go Bears!"
Last year proved that a ton of talented skill players on offense cannot overcome a weak offensive line. So my confidence is based on what we expect in the trenches. It would be better if we had a bunch of All Americans, but it should be, at the least, deeper and better coached. I think QB play will be better than expected.
Big questions are on defense and, especially, in the secondary. Curious to see how much of our historic success on that side was associated with Sirmon, or if it's just plug and play in a Wilcox system.
Lastly, the "variance" should be on our side. I don't know any team that has had a longer run of "bad luck". We are due.
Yes, to all of the above. Plus, would like to see more aggressive defense in games where we are ahead. We will see what it is in Corvalis Saturday night August 30th. Go Bears!
Cal fans: Sigh......As the old saying goes, "hope springs eternal". Like everyone else, I too hope that this is a breakthrough year and we win at least eight or more games, especially since we need to convince the Big Ten bigshots that we deserve to get invited when the next media contract comes up for negotiation. However, I have been hoping for the same thing for NINE YEARS and I'm not sure that anything other than a miracle season will get us there. Football gods, pray for us and GO BEARS!!!!!!
Change in life is inevitable and good…but hard at the same time! Let’s all give the new energy and new talent a chance to show out! I’m praying for just that!!!
Five wins is my prediction; though, there’s so much unknown, like how will the quarterback position, OL etc. come together under Harsin to take advantage of some talented wideouts, and can Cal run the ball decently. I give the defense the benefit of the doubt, though I don’t think it will measure up to last year’s unit. Even if some of the middling (on paper) talent overachieves, chemistry will be hard to develop in time to salvage a winning season, let alone make a bowl.
My fervent wish is that Hoosier/USA Hockey/‘69 Mets/Down 3-0 Red Sox magic envelopes Wilcox and this team this year to confound everyone and deliver unbelievable-but-true success beyond dreams this season. That’s my wish every year. In psychology they call it Magical Thinking. Which is allowed.
Great comment. Made me laugh hard! I love applying "Magical Thinking" to THIS season in particular.
Amen, Brother Bear.
Every year seems like a complete reset. This year even more so. Nonetheless, I love our Bears and will cheer for whomsoever dons the Blue and Gold to Write, er Fight for California!
Thanks Nick.
Go Bears!!
Agree with this. No disrespect to players that have decided to stay, feels like Cal will be a completely different team this year. I am actually pretty optimistic about our offense and somewhat worried about our defense.
I am worried about both. And special teams.
I feel like the prognostications are fair. I know it's a weak schedule and the new staff could be a difference maker, but I'm not sold on this year's talent like I was last year. That's not to say they won't ball out, but it's just a huge mystery now.
Last year absolutely crushed me. We were absolutely stacked to the gills (when healthy). Hard to ever be confident in this team again after seeing that collection of talent go 6-6
Last season we had a horrible O line. You can have the best RB and QB available but without a good or even average O line, you'll suck big time. This years O line seems much better than last years.
Cal got multiple talented O line players in the portal. Cal's new O line coach helped turn perennial mediocre-to-bad New Mexico into a running powerhouse. It will make a difference this year. An easier schedule can only be helpful.
It is so hard to predict the outcome of this season with so much turnover of both the staff and personnel. Whenever you are starting new QBs, that's always a question mark.
My heart wants to believe. My brain just struggles to get on board. I keep going back to those games we SHOULD have won - FSU, Pitt, NC State and arguably Miami. All it would have taken was an average kicker to seal the deal. How difficult this off-season would have been... I still hold Wilcox accountable for the Special Teams failures since he wished and hoped it would work out. Without a solid plan or leader. Here's hoping we don't "Cal" it too many times THIS season.
The reason games are played is so they can fuck up sportswriter predictions. ;-)
I'm having trouble getting excited about a ninth season with Justin "The Mediocre" at the helm The schedule may be soft but it's also bereft of traditional foes, OSU and Furd the exceptions. This further tempers the excitement as does the departures of Mendoza, Endries, Jet and Ott. One gets used to familiar faces and there's enough player turnover via graduation. Nonetheless you can find me at Memorial Stadium on September 6th letting forth with a throaty, "Go Bears!"
as long as we have mendoza and ott we have a chance to win it all
My prediction: there will be pain
Last year proved that a ton of talented skill players on offense cannot overcome a weak offensive line. So my confidence is based on what we expect in the trenches. It would be better if we had a bunch of All Americans, but it should be, at the least, deeper and better coached. I think QB play will be better than expected.
Big questions are on defense and, especially, in the secondary. Curious to see how much of our historic success on that side was associated with Sirmon, or if it's just plug and play in a Wilcox system.
Lastly, the "variance" should be on our side. I don't know any team that has had a longer run of "bad luck". We are due.
We were fine without Sirmon in Wilcox Year 1. TDR and GA were better.
Yes, to all of the above. Plus, would like to see more aggressive defense in games where we are ahead. We will see what it is in Corvalis Saturday night August 30th. Go Bears!
Cal fans: Sigh......As the old saying goes, "hope springs eternal". Like everyone else, I too hope that this is a breakthrough year and we win at least eight or more games, especially since we need to convince the Big Ten bigshots that we deserve to get invited when the next media contract comes up for negotiation. However, I have been hoping for the same thing for NINE YEARS and I'm not sure that anything other than a miracle season will get us there. Football gods, pray for us and GO BEARS!!!!!!
Did they not look at history? We are undefeated every July, like clockwork!
Change in life is inevitable and good…but hard at the same time! Let’s all give the new energy and new talent a chance to show out! I’m praying for just that!!!
With Harsin and Rolovich running the offense and Wilcox running the defense, we are going to have a top notch season....watch out ACC
This might be the softest schedule Cal has ever had. Anything other than a winning season is completely unacceptable
Cal is sending two QBs to ACC media day. Again. Sigh
How do we expect to win games without a real QB?
https://theacc.com/news/2025/7/10/football-all-eyes-on-charlotte-acc-announces-2025-kickoff-attendees.aspx
We know we don't have a set QB, so this isn't really that alarming? That competition is likely what most of the questions will be about anyway.
True. I guess it's different from last year because clearly Mendoza was #1.
only program to do so as well!
Five wins is my prediction; though, there’s so much unknown, like how will the quarterback position, OL etc. come together under Harsin to take advantage of some talented wideouts, and can Cal run the ball decently. I give the defense the benefit of the doubt, though I don’t think it will measure up to last year’s unit. Even if some of the middling (on paper) talent overachieves, chemistry will be hard to develop in time to salvage a winning season, let alone make a bowl.